1. Field of the Invention
Preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to a sheet feeding device configured to feed sheets and an image forming apparatus including the sheet feeding device.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of sheet feeding device includes a sheet feed tray to be loaded with sheets, a sheet feed roller, and a separation member to contact the sheet feed roller. Sheets are drawn from the sheet feed tray to be forwarded onto a sheet conveying path through a nip region between the sheet feed roller and the separation member. In a case where a stack of a plurality of sheets is drawn from the sheet feed tray, the sheets are separated one by one when the sheets pass through the nip region between the sheet feed roller and the separation member, for conveyance.
JP 2004-137021 A teaches that a guide film is placed in an area from the sheet feed tray to the surface of the separation member. The guide film acts to guide the sheets smoothly to the surface of the separation member, so as to prevent the sheets from being stuck in the middle of conveyance from the sheet feed tray to the separation member, thus eliminating sheet feed errors.
In a case where a guide film is disposed in an area from the sheet feed tray to the surface of the separation member as in JP 2004-137021 A, laying an elongated guide film over a wide area on the surface of the separation member decreases the area of contact of the surface of the separation member with respect to the sheets, which invites a multi-sheet feed in which a plurality of sheets is conveyed while being stacked. Shortening the guide film increases the area of contact of the surface of the separation member with respect to the sheets, which suppresses the occurrence of the multi-sheet feed. On the other hand, a curled leading end of a sheet may be hooked on the surface of the separation member, which hinders proper conveying of sheets, and the sheets are liable to experience sheet feed errors.